About the year 1852 Castle Valley was more or less explored by indian scouts
on their way to Moab from Sevier. There had been a fort built at Moab and the
establishment of a settlement had been attempted which was later abandoned.

During the Black Hawk war a party of Indian Chasers, who were white men
giving chase to Indian thieves, camped on Cottonwood Creek. They noted several
good town sites in the valley. It wasn't until the late sixties or early
seventies that any plan toward settlement was attempted. At that time A.D.
Ferron, a government surveyor, had been sent into the valley to lay the country
into sections and quarter sections.

In 1877 a definite policy or settlement was followed when fifty families were
called by the Mormon Church to come into this country and settle. Of these
families those who settled in Ferron were: Swen Larson and son, Neils Christian
Larson, Nicholas Larson and wife Helena and Peterson and wife. These people left
Ephraim November 15, 1877. They came over the old Gunnison trail part of the
way, and down Gilson mountain. In places the road was no more than a wagon track
cut with washes and strewn with boulders. It was a hard trip. The men worked all
of the time shoveling snow, making dugways, herding and hunting lost cattle. In
places levers had to be used to help keep the wagons on the steep hilside. In
coming down Gilson mountain sometimes a yoke of oxen was hitched to the rear of
the wagon to help hold it back.

Nicholas Larson had a large government wagon and so carried most of the
provisions. These pioneers had flour enough to last a year, bacon, dried
peaches, currants, apples, ground cherries, cabbage, onions and carrots. Mrs.
Larson brought a big crock of butter which lasted them all winter. For meat the
settlers traded with cattleman for it. At the end of a day's journey the small
company would join in and sing, which would relieve the situation at times
immensely. After traveling for 21 days the company reached Ferron Creek. The
creek was frozen over which made necessary the chopping of holes in the ice in
order for the oxen to stand up while crossing.

The story is told that the creek here was offered to the government surveyor,
A.D. Ferron provided he would consent to a ducking in it. He agreed to
this and the creek was named Ferron's. Later the "s" was dropped and it was
called simply Ferron Creek. The town of Ferron was later named for the creek.

Before attempting the building of homes the settlers explored the country for
a better location but on finding the feed to be scarce in other places they
returned to the Ferron Creek where the feed was much better.

At this time, the present townsite of Ferron, was covered with greasewood,
patches of cactus plants and was in general a barron place.